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This not only affects their sleep, but also their education, as they are often very tired through lack of sleep.

In 2013, a tribunal upheld Croydon Council's decision to designate the home a "category two hazard" because of the mould growing in bedrooms, bathrooms, on the ceiling of landings and in the house’s kitchen.

Ms James says the problems are so severe that they are living in only two rooms within the house.

She claims the mould and damp in some rooms is “so severe and disgusting” that they’ve had to deal with rats, bag all their possessions in special bags and attempt to clean it off with “highly potent cleaning fluid”.

Flavia James is desperate for the problems to be fixed (Image: David Cook)

The 41-year-old said: “Since I moved in almost from day one in 2010 this has been an issue. You could smell it.

“It first came in small patches and has just got worse and worse.

“I first went to the council and environmental health about it in 2013 after my landlord did nothing for more than two years and just fobbed me off.

“My landlord didn’t agree to what they said [should be done], he appealed it, a judge also told him to fix the property and a second time.

“They’ve fined him and yet he’s still not fixed the problem.

“Not only is there mould and damp, but the whole house has insulation problems, the roof is falling apart and as a family we have been left living in only two rooms as the others are in such a ruined way.

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“Two of my children are suffering with really bad asthma while I’ve got chest pains and breathing problems.

“I have been depressed about it and am on tablets as it’s made me so upset, crying most nights that we have to live through this. They’ve put a mark against his name but it’s not enough.”

Ms James' children are two boys and two girls currently aged 15, 13, four and three.

A specialist nurse who visited the property stated in a report seen by the Advertiser that “within two to three minutes of [the 13-year-old daughter] entering the property she developed a shortness of breath and required her emergency inhaler”.

The nurse added that after “only being in the house for 20 minutes” she started sneezing and coughing herself.